A Faerie's Tale: Fairest of Them All
by Erienne Lee
Summary: Our tale begins here with the evil stepmother Beryl, who has taken over Princess Rei's kingdom. When Beryl's source of power, a mysterious omniscient mirror named Metallia proclaims the fairest in the land is Rei, Beryl orders the death of her stepdaughte
1. Prologue

  
  
A Faerie's Tale: Fairest of Them All  
Erienne C. Lee

  
**Prologue**

"PAPA! PAPA!" REI'S voice carried louder and stronger than one would attribute to the small, cherubic girl of barely eight summers. She careened around the corner of the castle, her sandaled feet kicking up the dirt of the ground and her loose, unadorned raven-black tresses flying behind her. A broom two feet too long for her was clasped tightly in her hands, all but forgotten in the excitement of the news just imparted to Rei on the best authority from one of the young temple maidens. Endymion was on his way! The young prince from the neighboring kingdom had come for the past three summers to train under Rei's father Ignatius, King of Fieryn. As the only daughter of the king, Rei had known only a lonely existence before Endymion's visits. The other children living in the castle, being too far below Rei in station and peerage, were not allowed to associate with her according to dictates of society.  
  
The last three summers had been remarkable, as she seemed to have gained an older brother in the spirited and friendly Endymion. When he was not training in the lists, he would find Rei, and together they would embark on marvelous journeys through the woods separating their two kingdoms, letting their imaginations run wild. Sometimes they would be two knights set off on a quest to rescue a princess from a fire-breathing dragon, other times they would be enemies on the battlefield, and yet more often times they would simply scamper through the trees and meadows enjoying the unrestricted summer of a child. But it was yet April, and the late spring snow had just melted into the warmth of a beckoning summer. Endymion was arriving two months early this year. Rei gave no thought to ponder the reason for the timely visit; she simply wanted to see her friend again.  
  
"Papa! Endymion is to come!" Rei began again before she raised her head to run across the courtyard to the front hall. She skidded to a halt, dropping the broom, as she realized her father and an entire congregation of elegantly dressed strangers were standing in the center of the courtyard. Her father stood straight and tall, his regal bearing innate and apparent to all, enhanced by the austere features of his face. More interested in political affairs and diplomacy, Ignatius normally paid little attention to his daughter. The times he did notice Rei were usually attempts to curb her behavior with disparaging remarks and reprimands. Rei felt the heat of his gaze on her, and saw his eyes narrow. Too late, she realized her mistake, and winced in anticipation of the verbal lashing she would receive.  
  
Instead, a much warmer voice than her father's cut through the silence. "Ah, so this is the lovely princess!"  
  
Rei opened one eye to look speculatively at her father, then slid her gaze to the tall man next to him. He looked to be of an age close to her father's and stood just as tall and confident. But where King Ignatius' eyes and mouth were etched in chronic seriousness and reproof, this man's face held warmth and a smile.  
  
Ignatius flushed to the roots of his hair that was streaked at the temples with gray. "Yes, my daughter Rei is the image of her mother. Unfortunately, I have to rid her of the bad habit of escaping daily ministrations with her maid."  
  
Rei blushed and tried to swipe inconspicuously at her dusty frock. She rather thought it wasn't her fault if her maid was a wrinkly old lady who put too much force into hair brushing and face scrubbing. So why should she succumb to the mean old lady's admonishing every morn?  
  
Clearing his throat and sending a warning glance to Rei, Ignatius summoned Rei closer before turning to face the man with the kindly voice. "Georgios, allow me to present the Princess Rei of Fieryn. And Rei, my darling, you must surely recognize Endymion's father, King Georgios."  
  
Rei's eyes widened with surprise, but quickly recovered from the revelation that the man was Endymion's father. Indeed, the resemblance between the king and prince of Terran was easily discernible; both had black hair and startling blue eyes and the same tall and lean frame. Rei searched her brain for the proper behavior in this situation before deciding on a deep curtsy and beaming a smile at Georgios. "I am very much pleased to meet you, your highness."  
  
It seemed to have worked, because the crowd murmured its approval on so charming a child. Even Ignatius' face deemed to relax slightly.  
  
A laugh rang out, and the crowd parted behind the two kings to let a young black-haired boy about twelve years old march to the front. Behind him trailed four more youths about the same age.  
  
"Rei, have you been practicing your sword fighting with a broom again?" the boy asked, one eyebrow raised in mock disdain.  
  
Immediately forgetting the presence of her father, Rei picked up her broom and rolled up the sleeves to her frock. "I beat you last summer, and I'll do it again, Endymion, you noodle-brain!" Although said with much conviction, there was no malice behind her words. Still, as an afterthought, she added a small smile in case her vehemence might scare Endymion away.  
  
King Georgios guffawed and slapped Ignatius soundly on the back. "My son has told me about the princess' fiery spirit, but I must confess I didn't believe him until now."  
  
"I assure you, Rei is normally not so outspoken. She but needs a few more lessons at court, and she shall be as ladylike as her mother was," Ignatius quickly put in.  
  
"Nonsense! Rei is as much a lady as my own dear departed wife. Such spirit should not be meted out," replied Georgios, sensing the rising ire of Ignatius. Expertly maneuvering Ignatius towards the front hall, Georgios changed the subject to the more innocuous topic of the new trade routes planned for the eastern cities. Before stepping into the cool darkness of the castle, Georgios turned and gave a wink to Rei and motioned with his head to Endymion.  
  
The congregation followed the two kings, leaving Endymion and his friends with Rei in the courtyard. Endymion smiled at Rei as she eyed his friends with open curiosity.  
  
"Rei, you demon-child, it isn't polite to stare, no matter how handsome you find my new guard," Endymion admonished teasingly. He crossed his arms and waited for the ensuing retort.  
  
Blushing, Rei opened her mouth to argue with Endymion. Goodness, it was great fun to have someone to tease again. "I wasn't staring, and what else am I to do since you haven't the good manners to introduce me to your friends?" Mentally, Rei was hopping about in excitement over the idea of more playmates.  
  
The largest boy stepped forward with a bow. "Princess, it is a pleasure to make your acquaintance. I am Kunzite, companion to Prince Endymion." He said his words as solemnly as an adolescent could. He was without doubt the most exotic-looking one in the group with tan skin and hair pale as moonlight hanging past his shoulders. He was dressed in the garb of the youths training in the Terran army, gray tunic and matching trousers.  
  
Following Kunzite's example, the next tallest spoke. He had long chestnut brown hair and deep brown eyes. "Princess, Endymion has told us much of you, all of it in high praise," he began, then paused to rethink. "Most of it in high praise," he amended, slanting a teasing look at Endymion. "I am Nephrite, at your service."  
  
Not to be outdone by the others, the third boy came forward with a bow deeper than the previous two. His strawberry blonde hair was tied back in a queue, and his green eyes smiled at Rei with amusement. "I am Zoisite, my lady, and I certainly hope you will not hesitate to call on me if ever you need assistance against rogues like them," he said, smirking at the other boys when Rei graced him with a wide smile.  
  
Endymion rolled his eyes and made a gagging sound, but did not have the chance to comment before the last boy made his way in front of Rei. This one had blonde hair cut short much like Endymion's, as well as similar blue eyes. Rei could do nothing but stare with wide eyes as he took her small fingers in his larger hands and brought them to his lips. "Princess Rei, Endymion did not do you justice when he described your vibrant spirit. You are the embodiment of your fiery kingdom. Please allow me to introduce myself as your humble servant, Jadeite," he said, looking into Rei's eyes and not breaking contact with them even after he finished speaking.  
  
For a moment, with her feet rooted to the ground and her large violet eyes unblinking, Rei seemed awestruck. The one thought reverberating through her mind was that this boy had the most beautiful face she had ever seen.  
  
And then just as quickly in the next moment, Rei frowned and decided she was being quite silly because he was a boy, and boys weren't beautiful. She shook her head as if to rid herself of the ridiculous thought and found Jadeite's bemused gaze on her. She flushed, wondering if he could read her mind.  
  
Endymion could contain his amusement no longer and burst out with a loud snicker. Rei jumped at the sound of his laugh, fearing that _he_ had found her out, but his next words reassured her.  
  
"One week under the court master of chivalry, and the lot of you turn into sissies!"  
  
Zoisite sniffed, crossing his arms across his chest. "_We_ are only doing our best at excelling in preparation to be the best guards for _you_, _my lord_."  
  
"Ingrate," Kunzite muttered under his breath.  
  
"And it doesn't hurt that the ladies seem to like the results of this part of our education," Nephrite put in. A few years older than Endymion, they had just recently started to regard the fairer sex as more than just delicate beings in dresses.  
  
But Rei paid no attention to their banter. Instead, she was marveling over Zoisite's words. "Are you all truly training to become warriors of Terran?" she asked eagerly.  
  
At her interested tone, the four members of the guard immediately ignored their charge for the chance to boast. They were disappointed a few minutes later when they realized Rei's interest was not in admiring how they trained but in whether or not she could train with them.  
  
"Why would you want to do anything strenuous when you are a royal princess, my lady?" Zoisite asked, clearly bewildered that Rei would desire such a thing.  
  
"Girls can't be warriors, princess," Nephrite stated with strong conviction. "You should let us men worry about such things."  
  
Kunzite remained silent, watching as Rei's expression turned irate in reaction to the two foolhardy statements issued. Although his face did not show it, he smiled inwardly and anticipated the set down the spirited princess would give Zoisite and Nephrite.  
  
Balling her fists at her side, Rei approached the two unsuspecting boys. "Who was the addle-pated instructor that spoke such nonsense?" she asked loudly.  
  
Jadeite had also kept quiet, gauging her words and voice before deciding on the best course of action. He jumped in front of Rei, flashing her one of his charming smiles that had recently begun to enrapture the female populace of Terran. "I have a feeling you might yet prove our teacher wrong, my lady," he murmured, offering his hand to Rei. "I, for one, would be delighted to demonstrate some of our training lessons. And, when my lady princess thinks she may handle a weapon, I would be honored to stand as opponent."  
  
The moment Rei softened her expression and began to smile at Jadeite favorably, he continued, "Mind you, my lady princess, choose a small weapon that you are familiar with, perhaps a wooden spoon or a knitting needle, in case you strain yourself."  
  
That wiped the smile abruptly off her face. "Why, you ninnyhead! You are even worse than those two!" Rei was about to turn in search of the discarded broom before she caught the sparkle of amusement in Jadeite's topaz eyes. Realizing that there was no true scorn in his words, she clamped shut the mouth that had been open to spew out more insults, then decided to let them fly anyway, since he had purposefully baited her.  
  
Jadeite laughed loudly at Rei's colorful words and led her on a merry chase around the yard when she found her broom. Endymion and Kunzite watched the spectacle with identical grins on their faces while Zoisite's and Nephrite's opinions of the Princess Rei rose in light of the thrashing she seemed to be inflicting on their fellow soldier.  
  
Thus, the summers of Rei's childhood passed in the company of Endymion and his guard until a dark shadow befell the royal house of Fieryn, unbeknownst to its inhabitants until it was almost too late.

End Prologue

(c) 2003 Erienne C. Lee 


	2. Chapter 1

This chapter is now finished! I heartily thank everyone who has commented. I hope you don't mind that I had to take a little time away from Rei at the end of this chapter. It came out a little heavier than I had planned, but I will get some comedic relief in next chapter.

Again, thanks for the comments! I stayed up until 5 AM last night finishing this chapter (I'm a slow writer, I know) because all of a sudden I got all this mail with your reviews. :)

  
A Faerie's Tale: Fairest of Them All  
Erienne C. Lee

**Chapter One**  
  
_"There once lived a princess, fairest of them all,  
with lips red as blood and skin white as snow..."_

**10 years later**

SHE STOOD STRAIGHT and tall at the parapet on the highest tower of the castle, overlooking the kingdom. It was her kingdom now. At the thought, the corners of her lips tilted up in a slight smile. How easy it had been to make a conquest of the stodgy old king! He might have been a wise and powerful ruler, a veritable genius at forging critical alliances and tamping down the enemy, but when it came to women, he had made a wrong choice. A deadly choice, for now Beryl was queen and sole ruler of Fieryn Kingdom.  
  
The breeze sent her flame-red hair rippling behind her, and Beryl closed her eyes to savor the new found power she contained. Years of waiting and wanting paid off, for she had finally uncovered that one elusive object coveted by any practitioner of the dark arts, the enchanted mirror named Metallia. The legend was true: while the mirror itself was a plain physical object of this world, the entity within the glass was not. The dark shapeless mist that lurked in the pool of glass could not leave its bounds of a simple wooden frame but gave its power and knowledge to the privileged Beryl. In this way, she had charmed and subsequently murdered Fieryn's king.  
  
'Twas but a stepping stone, her new throne, for Beryl's true goal was dictatorship of the Terran Kingdom, the one indestructible domain on Earth. As queen of the neighboring kingdom, an alliance and then an infiltration of Terran would be a simple task, in due time. It didn't hurt, either, that the next in line for the throne of Terran was a handsome young prince by the name of Endymion. Beryl wet her lips appreciatively at an image of the dark-haired, blue-eyed Endymion, complete with devastating smile, striding across her mind. She would have to be conscious of keeping the end in sight and biding her time. Patience was a virtue, and Beryl didn't have enough of the latter as it was.  
  
A sudden flicker of red flashed across the courtyard below, catching Beryl's eye. A solitary figure made her way slowly but resolutely towards the fields beyond the castle portcullis as she had done daily for the past two months without fail. The setting sun glinted off of hair black as coal, in stark contrast to skin pale as snow. Garbed in ruby red silk, the Princess Rei, sole blood survivor of the House of Mars, was hard to miss. Although Beryl could not see the girl's face, she knew it wore the imperturbable mask of quiet grief. Rei had been so since the death of her father.  
  
The day King Ignatius died, Rei's composure failed her, and she locked herself in her rooms for two days before emerging once more behind the armor of serene grace. Only then had she flashed her amethyst eyes filled with accusation and contempt at Beryl. Just as quickly, the promise of dire retribution disappeared under the guise of royal comportment. Not a single complaint had been uttered from Rei since then; if the princess thought it an injustice as Beryl assumed the throne by royal edict, she did not voice her opinion. All Rei had done was visit her father's grave in the Fields of Elysia bordering the kingdom everyday. Until Rei became of age, Beryl's seat was secure by the laws of Fieryn. And the plan was that Rei would not live past the age of eighteen. Beryl took comfort in her plans, for there was no argument that the princess' aura of righteousness frightened her. The queen narrowed her eyes at Rei's retreating form. Perhaps it was time to hasten the plan.

* * *

"PHOBOS! DEIMOS!" REI called up at the sky, her slender hands cupping her mouth. She lifted a hand to her forehead to shade the midday sun as she spun around to scan the sky for her pet ravens.  
  
"Not a sign of them," she muttered under her breath impatiently. Turning around to start towards the stables in search of the birds, Rei was almost run over by a maid clutching two fat geese in each hand.  
  
"Oh!" the young girl gasped, performing an awkward curtsy that sent forth squawks from the geese in her hands. "Be- beg pardon, my lady, I didn't see you!"  
  
Rei smiled slightly and nodded the maid on with her task. Inwardly, she sighed. The entire castle was abuzz with activity in the wake of the herald's news. Prince Endymion and his entourage were but days away from Fieryn. It gave the castle staff hardly enough time to prepare their best rooms and plan the ten course meal to welcome the young prince. Although the herald did not disclose the nature of Endymion's visit, there was naught else to attribute to its cause but the long-standing pact between their departed king and Terran's King Georgios. Endymion had come to fetch his bride and unite the two most powerful kingdoms on the continent.  
  
Rei wasn't sure how she was supposed to feel about that. Endymion was the closest thing she had to a brother. Years ago when she was still a young girl with fresh ideas of love and happily ever after, she nursed a fancy for him. The girlish dreams turned into the realization that she wanted more than the comfortable affection she held for Endymion. Yet her fate was royal duty, and that meant marriage as arranged for political alliance. And if there was one word to describe the princess, it would be dutiful. For all of her eighteen years on the planet, she had struggled to gain approval and love from one person only. In spite of her efforts, her father had never willingly praised Rei, instead always prodding her to improve herself to the point where she became known as the paragon princess. While everyone else declared her to be unsurpassed in dignity and grace, King Ignatius had found her lacking. His sudden death devastated Rei, but no one could guess to what extent. A piece of her remained empty, unfulfilled by the approval she would now never receive from the only parent she knew.  
  
"My lady princess, you should not furrow your brow so. You'll mar your beauty with wrinkles and lose your legion of suitors save me, and then where would you be?"  
  
The deep drawl shook Rei from her thoughts and drew her attention to the tall, blonde figure emerging from the stables. Rei struggled to mask the surprise she knew was evident on her face, while she could do nothing but let the fluttering feeling that began at the appearance of this one man in her stomach slowly die down. What was he doing here already? Had the herald not declared the arrival of Endymion's party for this evening?  
  
Yet a smile was quick to tug on her lips, which was stubbornly suppressed. Like so many times before, Rei chose to express her pleasure at seeing him by settling into her most poised manner. "Jadeite, you should not speak so to a princess. Will you never stop using that ridiculous title for me? I vow I've outgrown it years ago."  
  
Jadeite chuckled and stepped in front of Rei, sketching an elegant bow before taking her hand in his. "My apologies, princess, for I can think of you in no other way than when I first clapped eyes on you those many years ago."  
  
Raising Rei's hand to his lips, he pressed a warm kiss to the back of her hand, smiling crookedly against her soft skin. The faint scent of lilies surrounded him, and Jadeite felt as if he had returned home. It had been far too long since his last visit, but duty called, and as he had constantly reminded himself, it was best he stayed away from the princess.  
  
Rei felt her breath hitch, but she had not trained herself to retain composure at all times to lose it in front of Jadeite, of all people! "You are a rogue!" she declared, snatching her small hand out of his and stepping back slightly. Her eyes swept his form quickly before they settled into a piercing gaze locked with his.  
  
_Mars' Flame Sniper, there is no justice in the world if the gods let such a dangerously handsome man loose_, Rei thought to herself. Willing her eyes not to wander over Jadeite's classically sculpted face, she brought to mind his broad shoulders that seemed to span doorways. Mentally fanning herself, she moved lower to his trim waist and then powerfully long legs forever clothed in the gray uniform of the Terran guard. And, ah yes, how could she not travel back up his generously packaged build of muscles to his beautiful face framed by hair as vibrantly gold as hers was coal black?  
  
Immensely glad of her strong willpower, Rei's focus returned to what she was looking at in reality. Big mistake. His eyes were perhaps his best feature, a silvery blue that, at the moment, seemed to be twinkling with laughter. Laughter that gave the impression he knew what Rei had been thinking of.  
  
Rather than making a fool of herself and acting embarrassed as she had been wont to do as a child, Rei snapped, "And what are you doing here so soon? We did not expect you until nightfall. You've put a serious crimp in Cook's plans."  
  
Jadeite grinned and without warning grabbed hold of Rei's waist to lift her out of the way of an approaching wooden cart full of wine jugs on the way to the dining hall. The frantic rush of the castle staff in preparation of the royal visitors had completely escaped Rei's mind.  
  
"I rode ahead to ensure that our new messenger did his task. But in truth, I could not wait to see your lovely face, my lady princess."  
  
Rei frowned, but did not make a move to escape his hold. "Don't waste your flirting on me, Jadeite. Go find your woman of the week. I have things to attend to," she said lightly.  
  
Imperceptibly, his fingers tightened around her waist before Jadeite dropped his hands. "King Georgios wants this business settled properly," he said, his demeanor turning somber. "I assume you understand what business I speak of?"  
  
Rei gave a curt nod and avoided Jadeite's gaze. She felt an uncomfortable sensation burning through her chest, an unexplainable cloak of melancholy that had shrouded over her the past few months. Since when did she feel so disparaged towards performing her duty? She couldn't understand it, nor could she explain why when Jadeite appeared before her the distress seemed to magnify.  
  
"Rei."  
  
He said her name in a tone she had almost forgotten. Not certain if she heard him correctly, Rei kept her gaze on the far castle wall a few moments longer. When she finally dared to sneak a glance at Jadeite's face, she blurted out, "Why have you stopped treating me like your best friend these years past? I haven't heard you call to me like that for the longest time."  
  
She knew they were both thinking the same thing. Jadeite did not reply, but a flash of emotion flickered across his eyes. Rei inhaled a short breath, staring beseechingly into the face of one of her dearest companions. The nearly permanent icy façade Rei erected around her melted in a rare laying down of arms. It was that important to her; she wanted desperately to understand what had happened between them.

* * *

JADEITE LOOKED DOWN into her face, just as it had been when she was still a young girl. It was as if Rei knew she was vulnerable in such a callous world, yet she placed all her faith and trust in him, Jadeite, an ordinary man. It still terrified him, as did his feelings which had never changed over the years. He knew she probably could not pinpoint the exact day he had drawn away from her. How could she, when she didn't know how he felt?  
  
It had been a chilly spring morning, one of those last icy blasts that lingered from the passing winter. Jadeite had found Rei in the rose garden on a solitary walk, paused in front of a sparse bush. He had stood there on the garden path, waiting for Rei to turn around and greet him, not expecting to have the breath knocked out of him when she did finally spin around. She held in her hand a fragile red rose, one of the earliest blooms of the season. Her face was wreathed in delight at the find, her cheeks dusted with a faint rosy hue, drawing even more attention to her perfectly smooth porcelain skin. Her violet eyes glowed brighter at seeing Jadeite near to share in her discovery.  
  
He couldn't move, couldn't breathe. He had known she was beautiful; everyone knew that. He had known her spirit burned fierce and bright, even underneath the royal mask of pride she always wore. He had known that she was a young girl still unsure of her place in her home and the world. What had hit him with the force of a hurricane was how much of his heart was forever lost to this one slip of a girl.  
  
"Jadeite!" Rei greeted him warmly, always in her quiet voice, never one to break the quiet or serenity of her surroundings.  
  
Jadeite barely restrained himself from taking a step back, as if to run away like a coward from his feelings. He swallowed the lump of fear in the back of his throat and gave Rei a tight smile. When Rei motioned him forward, he could do nothing but walk slowly to her side. One hand was held in front of his abdomen in the military stance instilled in him almost naturally, the other hand balled into a tight fist, as he attempted to rein in his emotions.  
  
"I was going to preserve this rose before you came along, Jadeite, but I think I'd like to give it to you now. Will you wear it in today's tournaments?" Rei gave him one of her rare impish smiles.  
"You know how Endy is always wearing one and never tells us why. You should wear one, too, and mayhap he will be curious enough about it to trade explanations."  
  
Jadeite couldn't help but laugh at Rei's idea. He took the proffered rose along with Rei's hand into his, giving her a light squeeze. "And what shall I tell Endy in return for his explanation?"  
  
Rei tilted her chin as her eyes wandered in thought. "Why, tell him 'twas a favor bestowed upon you by a fair lady. A very fair lady." She smiled again and gave his hand a light squeeze in return. Her smile faded when she looked up into his face and saw the sudden seriousness that had taken over.  
  
"Why is this explanation of Endymion's so important to you, my lady?"  
  
"I am just curious is all," Rei replied softly, a quizzical look on her face at Jadeite's unreadable expression.  
  
He did not comment on Rei's answer for a moment that in turn became a pregnant silence. Jadeite searched her eyes before finally dropping her hands and letting out a long breath.  
  
"Princess, you've become a gentle young woman." He clasped his hands behind his back and turned to face the hedge of roses. "You should remember your duty, and I, my place."  
  
Uncharacteristically, Rei broke in to Jadeite's speech. "What is that supposed to mean?"  
  
He didn't turn to look at her. "You should give this rose to my lord, Endymion. He should be wearing it."  
  
The stressing of the words, "my lord", and the pause at the end of his words were not lost to Rei, who felt increasingly uncomfortable with the realization of what Jadeite meant.  
  
"If you would like, I may relay this token to his Highness." Jadeite finally returned his steady gaze to Rei.  
  
"I-- I would rather you have it, Jadeite. Please," Rei said softly, raising her hand to the base of her throat to mindlessly finger the ruby necklace that hung there. She let out her next words in a rapid stream, before Jadeite could refuse to listen. "Just because I am a princess and you a soldier, it doesn't mean we cannot be friends--- good friends, does it? I know my duty, I know what is expected of me, of all of us. But I do not see how that would affect our friendship. Jadeite, I lo--"  
  
"Princess, I believed you to be more responsible than you are demonstrating," Jadeite said sharply. "A lady of your station does not keep company with a royal guardsman, especially one not of her own guard. I serve Prince Endymion and no one else, not even you, Princess."  
  
He had pinpointed Rei's most sensitive weakness, what she believed to be her worst failing, and twisted it to erect walls between them. Walls that should stand strong, Jadeite told himself firmly, no matter how much it hurt Rei and in turn, himself. His courage failed him as soon as he saw the sheen of tears glistening in her violet eyes, and he abruptly turned as if to make his leave. Over his shoulder, he quietly spoke his parting words.  
  
"While I am not pledged in your allegiance, you will always have my faith in your actions. I know I won't be disappointed."  
  
Jadeite had barely been able to make his way out of the maze of royal gardens and parterre without looking back.

* * *

PERHAPS HIS MISTAKE was in abruptly severing their relationship. If he had gradually started to distance himself from Rei over the years, she wouldn't have questioned the rift between them. It wouldn't have hurt her as much. It could have been attributed to the simple flow of things, the way life turned out. But who was he trying to deceive? He hadn't been capable of slowly easing himself out of the princess's life. Any prolonged time spent in Rei's company would only tempt Jadeite's resolve.  
  
And so he had simply and coldly detached himself from her life. On the summer visits to her castle, he managed to avoid Rei unless the other generals were with him. He never volunteered for the unexpected trips to Fieryn that would always crop up as he had used to do. At first, it had been difficult, for Rei would invariably be roaming the castle grounds searching for his company before she realized anything was amiss. But realize it, she did, and Jadeite never knew that the already shaky confidence of a young adolescent girl had crumbled a little more.  
  
His friendship had meant the most to Rei. With Jadeite, she did not have to maintain the tiring poise meant for the rest of the world. She could confide in him her deepest fears and secrets without worry of censure while never failing to receive genuine words of comfort. There was simply a pervasive feeling of belonging with Jadeite that Rei had never felt with anyone else. While her dearest friends were Endymion and his guard, Jadeite had a special place in her heart.  
  
The years passed, less than could be counted on one hand, but critical nonetheless. The promise of beauty that dominated her childhood had held true, and Rei blossomed into the land's most beautiful lady. At the cusp of womanhood, her mask of serenity hid a delicate soul, the fires of which had been nearly put out twice--- once with the withdrawal of friendship and then again with the death of a parent. She wanted no more disappointments, and there was no better way to ensure such than with a hardened heart.  
  
With that sharp reminder tugging at the back of her mind, Rei let out a small breath and stepped back from Jadeite, relinquishing her pose of supplication.  
  
"I suppose you don't even know what I am speaking of," she said stiffly.  
  
Jadeite cleared his throat. "I may have an inkling." He had more than an inkling, but she would never know. Already, he chastised himself for unconsciously calling out to Rei in that tone. "Princess, pardon my candor, but I thought you grown up and no longer bothered by childish fancies."  
  
"You're right, it must be childish fancy, for I can't imagine you as the close friend I once thought you to be," Rei bit out.  
  
Jadeite raised an eyebrow at Rei's uncharacteristic tone, and she flushed with embarrassment.  
  
"As you say, milady," Jadeite bowed his head. "Now, if I may be excused, I must oversee preparations for my liege's arrival on the morrow."  
  
Rei scowled at Jadeite's retreating back, her fists balled at her sides. "A true courtier is supposed to wait for my dismissal," she muttered under her breath.  
  
She turned towards the stables and scolded herself for letting her temper loose. She had better things to do, her pet ravens to find.

* * *

JADEITE'S LONG STRIDES brought him quickly through the castle kitchens and vast hallways to the main hall, where he conferred with the steward on the Terran party's visit. His comments, however, were only half-hearted and distracted with burning thoughts of the princess. It was nothing new to him; there were no arguments running through his head that he hadn't already assessed a million times.  
  
He knew Rei had had a childhood infatuation with Endymion, and it was only right, he kept telling himself. They were betrothed, after all. It didn't matter if Jadeite felt as if he was the only one who truly understood Rei. It certainly wouldn't matter if it would kill him to watch the woman he loved marry the one man he held loyalty for. He was one of the four Terran Generals, and his duty was his honor.  
  
"Has His Highness indicated whether he desires a ball be held during his visit?" The annoyed voice of the steward brought Jadeite forward to the present.  
  
Jadeite ran a hand through his hair at the steward's tone. That was obviously not the first time he had asked that question. But before Jadeite could answer, another voice rang through the hall.  
  
"Why, if it isn't my favorite General," the throaty tones of the provisional Queen Beryl floated to Jadeite from behind.  
  
Involuntarily, he stiffened before turning to greet the queen with a controlled expression of courtesy on his face. He bowed at the waist with his right arm crossed to his left shoulder in the customary form of obeisance.  
  
"Your Majesty," Jadeite murmured, taking the proffered hand. As always, Beryl's hand felt cold and clammy in his loose grip.  
  
Beryl lowered her eyes and gave a small smile at Jadeite's proper behavior. She always enjoyed it when a handsome man paid her the respect she thought she deserved. Slowly, she withdrew her hand, looking about the hall as if searching for someone.  
  
"And where is the prince? I do not see him."  
  
"Ah, I have come ahead of the rest of the party to see to provisions," Jadeite answered, watching Beryl.  
  
A brief shadow of annoyance flickered across her face at his answer. Her eyes widened in exaggerated surprise. "But you're personal bodyguard to the prince. You should not leave him simply to run ahead of the group. That's what the servants are for. We wouldn't want anything to happen to our dear prince."  
  
Jadeite managed a small smile as he replied, "I have every faith in my three colleagues as to the safety of Prince Endymion."  
  
Beryl's obvious obsession with Endymion never failed to raise his alertness on duty. _If the prince needed protection from anyone, it would be from Beryl's lecherous hands_, Jadeite thought to himself. His veiled antipathy towards the queen was further strengthened by recalling the cold manner with which she treated Rei.  
  
Beryl cleared her throat when a silence fell through the hall.

"Well, do what you must, then." She dismissed him airily as he was of no importance without Endymion's presence.

* * *

"THE NERVE OF that gutter rat who calls himself General!" Beryl fumed, slamming the door of her private solar shut.  
  
She treaded heavily to the ornate mirror that stood in the middle of the room, a centerpiece of gothic design that seemed to draw darkness into the chamber. It stood larger than the queen herself, on two legs carved in the menacing shape of a beast's limbs. Beryl circled the mirror, a furious whirl of deep purple skirts and flame-red hair, all the while cursing Jadeite.  
  
"His eyes! Those blue eyes that are so much like Endymion's, condemning me! _Me_!" Beryl paused in front of the mirror to stare into its murky depths. Her voice lowered in pitch. "As if I would ever harm the one man worthy of my love."  
  
Beryl focused on the obsidian surface in front of her, allowing the few vestiges of light to leave her soul. The rhythm of her heartbeat increased in anticipation of the rush of dark power emerging from the mirror. She exhaled lightly as the voice of her benefactor reached into her mind, and the metallic planes of the mirror began reflecting a smoky haze.  
  
"Metallia, my master," she murmured.  
  
_It is no use to waste your feelings on any of them.  
_  
The statement was more of a command, one that had Beryl immediately rejecting. "No, you are wrong, Metallia."  
  
There was no response from the mirror save for a small shift in the cloudy smoke directly below the surface on the opposite side.  
  
"With the powers you have imbued me, Endymion will be the king to my queen," she continued.  
  
This time, the reply cut out sharply.  
  
_He will not._ Then the voice became almost sympathetic. _How can he, when he loves someone else in his heart of hearts?_  
  
Beryl froze, unable to believe the dissonant voice. "No," she whispered, shaking her head.  
  
The silence that answered her did nothing to placate the rising feeling of despair. She knew that Metallia never lied.  
  
"Who?" Beryl demanded.  
  
_It is easy to see why Endymion has fallen for her._ A pause.  
  
_She is the fairest in the land, you know.  
_  
At this, Beryl fell at the mirror, grasping the cold stone edges with white knuckles. "_Who_?!"  
  
_The Princess Rei. Rei is far fairer than you will ever be. Fairest in all the land._  
  
The screech that Beryl let out reverberated through the chamber.  
  
"The little bitch! That conniving little whore!" Beryl released the mirror to begin pacing the room once again. The fury that she had entered with did not compare with the fit she was in now.  
  
"She must be rid of." Beryl stopped abruptly in her tracks, her amber eyes narrowing. "This very night."  
  
Beryl glanced at the mirror to distinguish its opinion on her decision. It stood silent now, a monolithic piece of glass that was too dark to reflect. Satisfied with the reaction, Beryl's mouth formed a chilling mockery of a smile. She glided purposefully out of the room. The evil queen was too absorbed in her assassination plans to hear the soft cackle of laughter coming from the empty solar. The mirror had done its job.

* * *

REI HAD SPENT two hours searching for her beloved pets, to no avail. The mews where they were kept remained empty of birds. No one had noticed where they might have flown off to. There was not a single shadow in the quickly darkening sky above. What had started out as a leisurely pursuit became an increasingly anxious search.  
  
Phobos and Deimos had been raised and trained by Rei herself, and she held a deep affection for the two ravens. The disappearance was ominous. Rei could feel it in her bones. One of the many secrets she held private was the relationship with her birds. No one could even guess that she was able to understand the behavior of the ravens, and that it allowed her to forecast the future. A drop of a feather, a few hops down the branches of a rowan tree, and a quick swoop westward--- all were intricate signs that Rei used to portend the future.  
  
Rei didn't know why she was capable of such a thing, nor did she question it. It had simply been a part of her since childhood. Most importantly, it was a secret all her own that no one could take away from her. Once the actions of her birds were deciphered, she could never change the forecast, but the knowledge had been there for her. Now, her access to the future was gone.  
  
In her search for them, Rei had wandered to the southwest gate to the castle grounds, near the border of the woods that framed the kingdom. She paused now as she spied the form of a royal guard making his way in her direction. He arrived quickly, a bearded man of middle years holding an impressive bow. Rei recognized him as the Master of the Hunt.  
  
"Your Highness," the man greeted Rei, kneeling.  
  
Rei bade him rise and watched him thoughtfully. She sensed an aura of uneasiness about the man. "You have a matter to take up with me, sir? Have you seen my birds?"  
  
There was a hesitant pause before the man suddenly brought up the bow in his arms and drew an arrow from behind him. The deadly tip of the arrow was aimed directly at Rei's heart.  
  
She stood frozen in place, too bewildered to fear for her life. But before she could demand he lower the weapon, the bow and arrow swerved to the left of Rei. The man released the arrow, and it hit its mark, an unfortunate deer nearly camouflaged in the dark green foliage.

"I cannot do it. God spare me, but I could not," whispered the guardsman, retrieving the carcass of the deer. He turned to face Rei, his expression determined. "You must leave here, princess. And never return. Never!"  
  
Rei took a step back at his vehemence. "What do you mean by this?" she demanded.  
  
He began gutting the deer, searching for the heart. "The queen. The queen wants your heart. I was paid to do the deed." He looked up into the princess's now wan face. "I didn't want to, but she threatened my life, and those of my family."  
  
With the heart cut out, the man stuffed it into the pouch slung around his shoulders and returned his pleading gaze to Rei. "Please, you must leave the kingdom. If not for the lives of me and mine, then for your own. 'Tis not safe here for you any longer. The queen wants you dead, and she will not stop at one reluctant hunter to have it done."  
  
He dropped to his knees in front of Rei even as she inched further away at his words. A dull roaring crashed through her mind as she struggled to understand what was happening.  
  
"I beg you, my lady, take my weapon and make your way to safety far from here," he continued on, in a frenzy to have done with his commission. He jerked the sling of arrows off his back and placed his bow at Rei's booted feet. "There is a safe shelter three days walk from here, if only you will follow the southern constellation. I know for certain they will not turn you away there."  
  
Rei darted her gaze between the man's frantic eyes and the bow, allowing the truth to sink in. She had long ago suspected Beryl capable of foul deeds, but she saw now that it was foolishness on her part to have done nothing to thwart any of Beryl's possible plots. The prideful, stubborn part of her character refused to act the coward and run away from danger, no matter how grave. Her blood ran cold at the thought of what would happen to her kingdom if Beryl succeeded, and Rei wanted with a fury to confront Beryl with brute force.  
  
Just then, the crow of a bird rent through the evening air, breaking the spell of Rei's thoughts. Phobos and Deimos! She looked up in time to see the pair weaving in and out of the trees, flying deeper into the forest. Deimos hovered in mid-flight, as if to wait, before following after Phobos.  
  
Rei closed her eyes in disbelief and anguish. She understood what the birds were telling her. With a small sob, she took the bow and quiver from the hunter and started into the forest after her birds. She clutched the weapon to her chest as her slender legs pumped faster. She did not look back, but focused on Phobos and Deimos. Her mind was numb and her movements automatic.  
  
The last coherent thought to cross her mind consisted of an image of Jadeite, smiling and holding her close only hours ago. She had felt safe in his arms then, when she still had a home in her rightful kingdom, and the world had not turned upside down.

End Chapter One  
  
----------------------------------  
  
So what did you think about her powers spoken as a curse word? You're to imagine them saying something like "damn it" every time they say their powers. I wanted to make the stories more Sailormoonish. Does it work, or no?  
  
(c) 2003 Erienne C. Lee 


	3. Chapter 2

Author's Notes:  
  
I don't know what to say about this chapter, except it took too long to write it! Definitely not the best, so I hope you guys bear with me! This is where my story diverges from the fairy tale, and we'll see where it takes us.  
  
I had to separate our hero and heroine for the entire chapter and focus on Rei. I hope you won't be too disappointed. I really didn't like it either, but I hope to make it up next chapter.  
  
As for the dwarf question asked by Aly, all I can say is, you will find out in this chapter. ;)  
  
Usagi also makes an appearance, and while it's a short one, I want it to be important. Because like the manga and anime, she is the thread that binds everything together in these stories. She'll show up in each one. :)  
  
If you haven't already, check out my webpage for more about the other stories in this series. Also, you can check out a separate fanfic I started, an AU fic based on the live action series, Pretty Guardian Sailormoon.

  
A Faerie's Tale: Fairest of Them All

written by Erienne C. Lee  
  
**Chapter Two**  
  
"_She ran for as long as her feet would carry her; and when the evening drew near she came to a little house, and she went inside to rest_…"  
- Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm

NIGHT FELL FAST across the earth, a velvet blanket of darkness interspersed with diamonds that hugged the never-ending horizon. The ancient trees which stood together in tight clumps making up the southern woods had long ago given way to the more widely spaced pines of the western countries. Rei had followed the southern constellation as the Master of the Hunt suggested. She didn't know if it was only coincidence that Phobos and Deimos flew as if to chase the southern star, but she would follow them to the ends of the earth.  
  
Two nights and two days had passed since that evening when Rei was spared her life. The only company she'd had were her guides, the ravens. By day, she trekked through barely worn paths in the woods. By night, she warmed herself in front of a small fire, silently thanking the stars that as a child she had pestered Endymion and Jadeite until they relented in giving her survival lessons in the woods. Rei would speak to Phobos and Deimos, as if they were capable of replies, before falling into an uneasy slumber.  
  
Rei continued to walk through the woods, even though the ravens repeatedly flew to perches in the trees as a sign to stop for the night. Phobos gave out a caw when Rei didn't seem to notice the pair of birds hadn't flown any further. Rei looked over her shoulder, startled out of her reverie.  
  
"Oh, Phobos, I hadn't realized it was so dark already," she said, retracing her steps to stop under the branches of the tree where Phobos had perched.  
  
She sighed, leaning her tired body against the thick trunk, and stared off into the darkness of the forest. The two days of traveling combined with the heavy feeling in her heart had taken their toll on Rei. The state of her dirty dress, worn out slippers, and empty stomach were the least of her worries. The state of her kingdom had occupied her mind the most, urging her onward to safety. Her mind grasped at any loose straws, any plan that would see her return to Fieryn and throw Beryl into the dungeons where she belonged.  
  
She knew well enough to believe the Huntsman's words; if she returned to the kingdom, there would only be another assassination attempt on her life, and the next marksman might not have the conscience that had saved her this time. Her best recourse was to seek aid, but the closest kingdom she could call upon was Terra. Terra, whose rulers were this very night dining and living on the hospitality that Beryl had no right to offer.  
  
"What am I to do?" Rei asked her ravens.  
  
Deimos tilted her head towards Rei. That was the closest gesture resembling an answer that Rei would get. She had asked the same question many times already, with no suitable answer in sight. She could risk sneaking her way back into the kingdom, but the idea was as dangerous as it was preposterous if she were caught by one of Beryl's henchmen. She did not know if she could wait for the Terran convoy to return home. By then, it could be too late. Rei considered the worst plot that Beryl could possibly concoct, and the notion of the witch on the throne of Fieryn steeled her resolve. If Rei had to appeal to the puckish faeries or swim to the depths of the ocean and ask for the mer-people's aid, she would do it.  
  
_But first_, she thought, with a hand lightly rubbing her stomach, _I need to rest and find food._  
  
Picked berries and water from a chance river did nothing for her hunger pangs over the course of two days. Despite her hunger and the available hunting weapon, Rei could not bring herself to shoot the various small and furry creatures darting about the woods. Her stomach chose that moment to grumble its opinion of her soft-hearted mind.  
  
As if in answer to Rei's thoughts, Deimos suddenly flew off into the woods in a flurry of black feathers. Phobos was quick to follow flight. They had veered off of the faint forest path that Rei had followed all day. Rei puckered her brow in confusion at the ravens' actions. It was strange they should want her to venture further into the darkness, but she ran after them nonetheless.  
  
The lack of food and physical exertion she had recently undergone began to affect Rei's sprint, and soon she was gasping for breath, coming to a stop and propping herself upon another tree. Phobos and Deimos didn't seem to mind her break and sat in the tree preening their feathers.  
  
By the time Rei glanced around her, she realized that the two birds were in no hurry to move. The trees had thinned in this part of the forest, and the rising crescent moon produced wide patches of moonbeams where the trees were absent. Rei could discern a walkway in front of her, winding through a clearing that lead to a gated fence. Beyond the gate, she could see a huge fire set in the center of a courtyard that lay before a good-sized bungalow. Her eyes widened when she noticed a small figure dancing around the flames.  
  
She thought immediately of the old folktales she had heard as a child. The prominent story that came to mind was one concerning a naughty child who had wandered too far into the woods and met his fate with an evil dwarf. The southern woods were supposedly the playground for the dwarves, magical beings who were short of stature but full of wickedness.  
  
Just as Rei had decided to turn around and find her way back to the foot path, the light evening wind brought a whiff of seasoned roasted meat to her nostrils. She halted in mid-step, her indecision mounting rapidly.  
  
_Be reasonable, Rei_, she thought to herself. _Dwarves don't really exist. If they did, I would have long ago been abducted by one. If you can survive Beryl, you can handle a little runt. Your stomach is counting on you._

Exhaling, Rei whipped around and stalked resolutely towards the gate. She would beg for accommodations for the night if need be. Her steps slowed as she neared the gate, and she tightened her grip on the bow she carried. She stopped outright when she realized the small figure was singing in a gruff voice while prancing in front of the bonfire. His words were unintelligible, but they were periodically punctuated with a hacking cough. He wore no hat and had no beard as the dwarves were so described. His head was free of any hair whatsoever, facial or otherwise, but Rei was increasingly confident that the man had to be a dwarf.  
  
"Halt!" the voice of the diminutive man rang out across the clearing. He turned towards the gate and pointed a stubby finger at Rei.  
  
"You've come to the right place, my child," he cackled. "I've been expecting you."  
  
"Y-you have?" Rei stuttered in surprise. She was posed to flee, but the little man stopped her, reaching the gate and lifting the latch.  
  
"That's right. Come in, come in," he replied, pulling her into the courtyard. "You're just in time for supper."  
  
At his delighted crow of laughter, Rei wrenched her hands free from his grasp and stared at him in horror. Images of herself trussed like a goose and roasting over the fire flitted through her mind.  
  
"Supper?" she managed to squeak out.  
  
When he didn't answer but began circling the fire, Rei asked again, "Why are you expecting me? I could smell the food roasting out there. W-what are you serving for supper?"  
  
At her tone of voice, the man paused before the fire facing Rei.  
  
"Why, you, of course. Haven't you wandered far from home?" he chortled. "We must rectify that."  
  
Rei was quick as lightning and almost at the gate before a flash of white and gray appeared to block the entrance.  
  
"Don't come any closer to me, dwarf. I know how to use this bow," Rei warned him.  
  
The man held out an upturned hand and started to laugh. He was doubled over in laughter before Rei began to relax her guard in light of his strange behavior.  
  
"I'm not a dwarf," he managed to say in between guffaws.  
  
Rei cocked an eyebrow in disbelief and didn't move her hand from the bow. She thought she also heard the words, "good joke" and "fell for it" peppering his hearty chuckles.  
  
"Princess, you can call me 'Grandpa,'" the little man said at last, his laughter under control.

* * *

"I WILL GO in search of Rei." Endymion was standing at his place to the left of Beryl's empty seat. He was not dressed for a regular dinner at court but in traveling clothes and cloak.  
  
The rest of the diners looked at him in surprise, and the four generals of the prince's private guard stood up, their chairs scraping against the stone of the castle floor. The four of them made an impressive sight, tall, brooding, and uniformed in dark, somber colors. All had long hair, left loose past their broad shoulders except for Jadeite with his close-cropped hair and Zoisite's queue. Endymion completed the group of heartbreakingly handsome men. It was no hard feat to imagine the legion of ladies and maids at court that relentlessly pursued the royal guard and prince regent of Terra.  
  
"I'll go with you," Jadeite announced, slapping his napkin onto the table. He was relieved that Endymion wanted to find Rei, for he had been deeply worried the past two days. He could not take action himself without ignoring his duty to Endymion.  
  
"We will all go," Kunzite put in soberly. "Something is amiss here."  
  
Nephrite nodded in agreement. He sensed that Beryl had lied when she told them that Rei would not be seen for a few days due to illness, but he knew better than to voice such suspicions aloud.  
  
Before any of them had a chance to move beyond the dining hall, Beryl herself swept into the room with a pleased expression on her face. "Gentlemen, were you waiting for me to commence supper?"  
  
Endymion bowed at Beryl's entrance. "Queen Beryl, we were discussing Princess Rei's absence. Pray, tell me, is it at all possible to see her in her chambers?"  
  
Beryl's face abruptly clouded over with anger. "See her in her chambers! The very thought is outrageous. The impropriety of the very idea!" she exclaimed.  
  
"In that case, there is nothing more I can do here," Endymion replied coolly. "I came to Fieryn with the express intention of officially courting the princess. I cannot do that if I could not meet with her. We will be leaving tomorrow morn."  
  
Beryl was at a loss of words, not expecting her fabricated excuses for Rei's absence to backfire. She made her way to her seat at the head of the table and unhurriedly settled into it before she decided on a new plan.  
  
"Well, I had hoped to hold off the truth a little while longer, but I see that I cannot," she began slowly, glancing at each of the men in turn. "You cannot see Rei because she is not here."  
  
Endymion narrowed his eyes as the generals exchanged troubled glances. "What do you mean?" the prince asked.  
  
Beryl took a bite of food from her plate before answering the question hanging in the air.  
  
"She has run away," she said, ignoring the men's disbelieving gazes. "I found a note this morning from the ingrate herself. She has declared her intention to become a sacred priestess to Mars. She's taken her vows and nothing is to be done." She looked up to gage the reactions of the prince and his guard.  
  
Endymion looked as if all the wind had been knocked out of him, while the rest of them wore identical miens of surprise. All except for Jadeite, who kept his steady gaze on Beryl, looking for any sign of deception.  
  
"She claimed an aversion to the impending alliance with you, my dear prince," Beryl continued. "I had hoped to convince you in time that an alliance between Terra and Fieryn need not be in the form of a marriage between you and Rei."  
  
"You know where she is," Jadeite said quietly. It came out as more of a statement than a question.  
  
Beryl did not meet his eyes as she took a sip of wine. "Yes, I do," she replied. "Well, not exactly, but there are only so many shrines in Fieryn. She must be at one of them."  
  
"We must bring her back," Endymion said, finally stirring himself from his shock.  
  
At this, Beryl nearly choked on the wine. "Oh, no, Endymion, you must not. What would our people say, when it is known that you had to retrieve a reluctant bride? It will do your reputation no good." She darted a furtive glance at the now glowering Jadeite, her plans becoming clearer and more to her liking. "We must send someone else. No one but a trusted servant will do. I think General Jadeite is the best nominee."  
  
She was rewarded with another stunned silence. "I do believe the general is one of the closest to Rei. And Jadeite, you yourself told me a few days ago that you trusted your prince in the hands of your fellow guards. I see no reason not to let you leave and find the princess."  
  
Jadeite looked at Endymion, who gave him a slight nod of the head.  
"Your Highness, your wisdom is unmistakable. It looks like I will be leaving, then."  
  
Beryl gave a small, satisfied smile and waved a hand at Jadeite. "No, no, you must stay for supper. 'Tis too dark tonight to begin your journey. I will make the arrangements for you tomorrow. Come, let's dine."

* * *

IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE meal, Endymion and the generals were gathered in the sitting area of his suite for an impromptu meeting.  
  
"You three must keep up your guards while I'm gone. Beryl is up to no good." Jadeite paced the room.  
  
"She obviously wants you gone so she can sink her claws into our poor prince," Zoisite snickered from his position sprawled out on the settee.  
  
Kunzite sent him a glare of submission. "This is very serious, Zoisite. Rei is missing, and we don't know what Beryl has done or will do."  
  
Zoisite cleared his throat and his laughter died down. Normally the most carefree member of the guard, he found it difficult to not treat every matter lightly. But he knew his duty, and there was good reason he held the title of commander-in-chief of the Terran Royal Navy. It also helped to calm him down when the order for sobriety came from the strict war general of the Terran army, Kunzite, himself.  
  
Nephrite stood at the window, gazing into the night sky. "I don't trust more than one of us to be gone from Endymion's side while we are here in Beryl's domain. Jadeite will have to go alone, as she says."  
  
Everyone looked at Nephrite in surprise. They knew that he had a special ability to read the positioning of the stars in the sky, from which a message or omen could be deciphered. Indeed, that ability had properly placed him as Endymion's court mystic. At that moment, he wore the contemplative look that usually accompanied one of the many visions he received from the stars.  
  
"Do you know what she has planned?" Jadeite asked impatiently.  
  
Nephrite shook his head of wavy chestnut hair. "I only sense that fate must play out this way. Rei will be safe with you, Jadeite." He peered more closely at Jadeite's tight expression and clenched hands. It was as he thought, then. Nephrite smiled to himself.  
  
"How much of the truth do you think Beryl told us?" Kunzite asked, addressing his question to Nephrite.  
  
"I didn't sense much sincerity in her words, but the stars say that Rei is indeed in a holy place. I can discern no more than that about her whereabouts."  
  
Endymion cursed under his breath. "Don't tell me Rei truly took vows to serve Mars. If she didn't want to marry me, she had only to speak of it." He ran a hand through his hair in agitation. It was his fault, he thought. If only he had determined Rei's true feelings on the subject, none of this would be happening.  
  
Jadeite watched the emotions crossing Endymion's face and felt his stomach drop at the conclusion that Rei's disappearance deeply affected the prince. His anxiety could only mean that Endymion held much more than a simple fondness for Rei. That crushing thought reinforced Jadeite's determination to unite the prince and princess despite the protest in his heart.  
  
"Endymion, I will bring her back. Don't worry." Jadeite said the words more for his own sake than the prince's. Even if he hadn't considered himself to be the closest in mindset to Rei, he knew he'd been the last to speak with her before her disappearance. There had been nothing out of the ordinary in Rei's behavior, and such a drastic act as escaping to a holy shrine wasn't conceivable. "After I make preparations and obtain a list of local shrines and their directions, I will leave immediately, no matter what Beryl's wishes may be," Jadeite decided aloud.

* * *

REI SAT DEMURELY in front of the fire, this time inside the cottage. The strange little man named Grandpa had fed her well, and Rei was proud of the way she had not downed the food like a ravenous wolf, despite her empty stomach and the savory aroma of the beef. "Well, my dear, you are a sight for sore eyes," Grandpa declared, smiling at Rei.  
  
In the soft fire light, the man didn't seem so terrifying anymore. His twinkling brown eyes were warm with content at so pretty a visitor, and the woven robes he wore were standard cleric attire. Now that Rei had a full stomach, warm and rested feet, and a roof over her head for the night, her outlook was much brighter. She unconsciously blushed at her runaway imagination earlier that night, and murmured thanks for her supper.  
  
She watched Grandpa as he banked the fire. "I didn't recognize the cleric robes you wore in the dark of night. Actually, I haven't ever personally met a true priest of Mars."  
  
Grandpa nodded. "Not your fault. And I'm always in the mood for a good laugh, though I suppose I should apologize for having it at your expense, my girl."  
  
He looked sheepish at his apology, but the next minute he grumbled, "I suppose your father is to blame for your lack of familiarity with the Houses of Mars."  
  
Rei's eyebrows shot up at the mention of her father. "How…? Did you know my father?"  
  
"I knew him. I knew him for the hypocritical tyrant he was, and never regretted severing the ties," Grandpa responded quietly. "Except for one reason."  
  
His eyes were downcast at the last few words, and Rei didn't know whether to pry into private matters or stay silent. He answered for her.  
  
"But I have a chance to rectify that now, and I vow to do it," he said determinedly. "You should know that you're safe here, princess. You must stay until the danger has passed."  
  
Rei blinked. "I must admit, I'm at a loss for words. How do you know all of this? What is the danger?"  
  
Grandpa released a gusty sigh before speaking. "We old priests have our ways and meditations. But it is imperative that you heed my words. If you care at all for your birthright, you will keep yourself from Fieryn until aid arrives here for you."  
  
At that, Rei leaned forward eagerly. "Someone is coming to help? Someone knows where I am?"  
  
Grandpa held up a wrinkled hand. "Don't get overexcited. I sense an unease growing at the heart of Fieryn, and it is known that you are missing. Someone will be bound to come by in a search. Until then, you are under my care."  
  
"If you know all that, then you must know what Beryl has planned!" Rei exclaimed.  
  
"That is not in my power," he said, shaking his head. "I fear you're becoming too agitated to think clearly on this tonight. You must rest. We will discuss this at length tomorrow."  
  
Rei had already opened her mouth to protest, but the expression on Grandpa's face said he would brook no opposition to his decision. On second thought, she was fatigued, and nothing sounded better than a soft, warm bed at the moment.  
  
"Can you at least tell me if all is still peaceful in Fieryn? At the castle?" she couldn't help but get in one last query. "I fear for my friends from Terra."  
  
Grandpa patted Rei's hands in a gesture of comfort. "You need not worry about Endymion and his guards. Beryl is content with things as they are presently."  
  
At the mention of Beryl's name, Rei's blood boiled, but there was naught else to do at the moment. Rei nodded in understanding and stood up to leave for her guest quarters. As Rei crossed the room, she paused in her steps and turned to face him again.  
  
"Why are you called Grandpa?" she asked.  
  
He gave a small, sad smile. "It's been a long while since anyone has called me by that name. Call me Grandpa because I simply am that. Will you not make an old man happy with one single word?"  
  
Rei could not help returning his kindly smile. "It suits you."

* * *

THE FOLLOWING MORNING had dawned brightly, although Rei missed the sunrise by a few hours as her body rested from her ordeal. She found breakfast in the form of a steaming porridge when she finally did awaken, and Phobos and Deimos appeared to keep her company while she ate outdoors in the peace of the courtyard.  
  
In the sharp daylight, Rei found herself charmed by her surroundings. The cottage had turned out to be the main part of a shrine built along the ancient codes of architecture, with spacious but bare rooms, sliding paper doors, and beautifully carved columns and friezes in the style of the House of Mars. Adding to the appeal of the entire setting were the few graceful trees that dotted the courtyard and behind the shrine.  
  
Rei wandered the perimeter of the wooden fence marking off the property and discovered a hot spring in the back. She deduced that was where the shrine received its heat source for the warmed floors. She had also discovered a small patch of a vegetable garden and a henhouse in one corner of the land. The shrine was certainly self-sufficient, and Rei wished she had happened along at some other point in time.  
  
Regardless of the pervading tranquility, thoughts of her kingdom encroached Rei's mind, and she was staring off into space when Grandpa found her.  
  
"Good morning, Rei," he greeted her.  
  
His booming voice shook Rei out of her thoughts. "Good morning, Grandpa. The shrine is lovely. I hope you don't mind that I took the liberty of touring the place."  
  
"Not at all," he replied, beaming. "I'm glad you did. I thought we would begin your priestess training today. We have not much time before help comes."  
  
"Priestess training? I don't understand," Rei said, bewildered.  
  
"Well, it is up to you, but I thought you would be amenable to the idea," Grandpa said. "It is almost blasphemous that your father kept you away from the shrines most of your life. Imagine a princess of Fieryn never stepping foot into the House of Mars."  
  
His words spoke the truth. The people of Fieryn worshipped the god of fire and war, called Mars. There were numerous shrines in the kingdom dedicated to the patron, each maintained by an elite group of priests and priestesses linked spiritually to Mars. The ruling house of Fieryn was also historically bound to the House of Mars, and each generation had always been partly educated in the shrines as a sign of their near godly status.  
  
Rei herself had always wondered why her father had never sent her away for the spiritual education, but as a young child who dearly wanted a parent's company, not being sent away had been a good sign. And so she had never questioned it aloud. The opportunity to do so now appealed to Rei. It was almost an act of rebellion towards her father, as if she was going against his wishes in undertaking the sacred lessons.  
  
"I would like that very much, Grandpa," Rei decided. Another satisfying thought entered her mind. "Will I also be able to achieve powers like yours? Will I be able to see the events of the world as they happen?"  
  
Grandpa shook his head sternly. "That is not the reason I am teaching you the way of Mars. Nor should it be the sole reason you want to learn. I aim for your personal development, and nothing more."  
  
He paused, then conceded, "However, if in the course of your studies, you happen to sharpen your gift of the second sight or any other supernatural abilities, it will be useful against Beryl."  
  
Rei smiled at the thought, then realized what he had said. "Do you refer to my ability to understand the ravens as a second sight?" she asked in surprise.  
  
He nodded. "That's exactly what it is. You have great potential. Come, our first lesson is meditation."

* * *

A WEEK CAME and went with Rei falling easily into the daily routine of the shrine. The chores were divided between Rei and Grandpa, and after these were completed, the remainder of the day was reserved for either meditation or physical training. In such a manner, Rei was tutored in both mind and body.  
  
Grandpa had been pleased to discover that Rei possessed a rudimentary knowledge of combat and the physical agility of a warrior. Her disciplined self-control was also a major advantage during meditation sessions, and it seemed as if she surpassed Grandpa in that capacity. In fact, many times when she came out of a lengthy session, it was to find Grandpa dozing off. There were other instances in which Rei felt more like caretaker than disciple to the elderly man, but that only strengthened her affection for him.  
  
At dinner that night, just as the two of them sat down to sup, Phobos and Deimos took flight around the courtyard making a loud commotion. The gate swung wide open in the midst of the shrieks and fluttering feathers. Rei realized she had forgotten to latch the gate earlier that afternoon when she finished sweeping the walkway.  
  
She was nearly upon the open gate when a high-pitched wail coming from a dusty bundle of arms and legs launched itself at her. A young woman about Rei's age came barreling through the gate and clung to her arm. The woman's blonde hair was disheveled, as was her dress,  
but more bizarre than that, it was held up in two ponytails on either side of her head wrapped around buns. Her blue eyes were clouded with tears, but even so, she was a striking beauty.  
  
"Help me," she sobbed, loudly into Rei's ear. "The dwarves are coming!"  
  
The girl dragged Rei further into the courtyard before shutting the gate herself. When she turned around to face Rei, the girl let out another shriek and seized hold of her again.  
  
"There he is! Dwarf!"  
  
Annoyed, Rei managed to disentangle herself from the stranger. She raised her voice to be heard over the sobs. "There's nothing to be afraid of, miss. There are no such things as---"  
  
Rei stopped in mid-sentence as she looked over her shoulder to see Grandpa dancing around the nightly fire in the same manner he had that first night they met. Rei narrowed her eyes at him, then said sharply, "Grandpa! Stop scaring her."  
  
Turning to the girl, she spoke in a calmer voice. "It's only Grandpa. He likes to scare people by pretending to be a dwarf."  
  
As soon as Grandpa stopped hopping around the fire to stand still and guiltily wave to the girl, she stopped her hysterical shrieking. And immediately turned livid.  
  
"Why, you mean, horrid, little man!" the girl began, pushing up the sleeves of her dress and advancing on Grandpa.  
  
Alarmed, Rei pulled the girl by the back of her bodice. "He meant no harm; leave him be. Who are you to trespass on our land?"  
  
At Rei's question, the girl seemed to almost wilt like a flower. "I've been lost in the woods for a few days. My name is Usagi. I live on the outskirts of Terra, by the sea."  
  
Rei looked at Grandpa, who cleared his throat. "That is but a day's walk away from here, young lady. What were you doing out in the woods?"  
  
The girl named Usagi narrowed her eyes at Grandpa before finally answering Rei. "I was only taking a break from work, and I must have taken a wrong turn on the way home."  
  
"Hmm," Rei murmured in understanding. "Usagi, is it? What a strange name. It means rabbit, does it not?"  
  
Usagi flushed and ducked her head. "My given name is Serenity, but everyone just calls me Usagi. Only my mother called me Serenity, but that was a long time ago, when she was still alive," Usagi said, her voice dying out on the last words.  
  
Sensing Usagi's distress, Rei quickly changed the subject. "Come, Usagi, you must be tired and hungry. We are sitting down for dinner at this moment. You'll stay the night with us."  
  
Usagi's head shot up and her eyes brightened. "Food?"  
  
Rei did not know it, but that night had been the beginning of an auspicious relationship for her and Usagi. She had lingered at the shrine for three days before finally setting off for home with Phobos and Deimos as guides. More often than not, they had argued over something insignificant, and Rei would not even be able to recall the reason an hour later.  
  
During those three short days, Usagi trailed Rei like the curious rabbit she was named for. While outwardly Rei would act exasperated with Usagi's shadowing, inwardly she was thrilled to be the favored companion of another girl her age. It was true she had Endymion and his generals when it came to dependable and devoted friends, but having a female friend of her age was an entirely different matter.  
  
"Do you get many visitors here?" Usagi asked one day. She was sitting on the front steps of the shrine watching Rei sweep the courtyard.  
  
"Not that I know of," Rei automatically replied, before she remembered that Usagi thought she was born and raised at the shrine. She wore the priestess robes daily and saw no reason to reveal her true identity to anyone. "I mean, no, we are so far out of the way."

"It must be lonely," Usagi said, sighing.  
  
Rei did not stop her sweeping, but glanced out of the corner of her eye at Usagi. "Well, if you're feeling restless, you should return home. Grandpa and I get along just fine by ourselves."  
  
Usagi looked upset at Rei's assumption. "No! I didn't mean that," she laughed. "I was just thinking about how it must have been to grow up here. I don't want to leave just yet. We're friends, aren't we?"  
  
At Usagi's unexpected question, Rei paused and stared at the pile of leaves she had swept up. "Friends?" she smiled slowly. "Yes, we are."  
  
"I don't have many friends, either," Usagi said, taking the broom from Rei's hands and beginning to sweep her side of the steps.  
  
Rei cocked her head at Usagi's action. "You don't have to work for your food here, you know," she said teasingly.  
  
"Oh!" Usagi stopped, startled at her own behavior. "It must be habit. I'm used to doing servants' work."  
  
Rei had deduced that earlier when she saw the tattered state of Usagi's dress. "Well, I don't blame you for not wanting to return home, then."  
  
Usagi groaned. "Don't remind me. My stepmother will kill me when I do get back."  
  
At the mention of a stepmother, Rei froze and gave Usagi a worried look. "You have a stepmother, as well?"  
  
"Yes, and she is the bane of my existence," Usagi said, making a face. "You have a stepmother? Oh, you must have run off to become a priestess to avoid her!"  
  
"Something like that," Rei mumbled.  
  
Usagi sighed. "I only stay because it's my house, even if she has overrun it. I have no place else to go. And then I also wouldn't be able to see my prince everyday…" She trailed off in a daydream, a sweet smile on her face.  
  
"Your prince?" Rei asked, peering at her curiously.  
  
Usagi laughed. "Yes, my prince! It's silly, I know. Our estate borders Terra and the sea, as you know. I can see Prince Endymion coming down to the shore every morning to train. He's always punctual, and so handsome! He never sees me. I only watch from my window in the attic of our house." The expression on her face was one of pure delight.  
  
Rei managed to mask her surprise at the mention of Endymion.  
  
"Can you imagine what it would be like to be a princess? Oh, to be swept off my feet by Endymion!" Usagi laughed again.  
  
Rei let out a weak laugh. "I can imagine," she said softly. She felt terrible and selfish for being a princess at that moment, when Usagi so desired what she herself didn't find tempting.  
  
Usagi mistook Rei's tone for something else. "Oh, you must be thinking about your own man! Tell me!"  
  
Rei's eyes widened and her mind turned immediately to a blonde haired, silvery-blue eyed figure. Usagi caught Rei's blush and wagged a finger at her. "Tell me!"  
  
They were still sitting on the steps to shrine an hour later, giggling like two normal girls with not a care on their minds.

* * *

USAGI HAD LEFT only a day ago, promising to return for frequent visits, but Rei was already starting to miss her childish antics and bubbly laughter. She even missed the way Usagi stole food off of her plate when she thought she wasn't looking. Without the other girl there to keep her mind off of other matters, Rei began to mull over her situation. Her thoughts ran away with her, and suddenly she found herself in front of Grandpa, declaring her intention to leave on her own for aid.  
  
"I have been here for two weeks, and there has been neither word nor visitor save Usagi," she spat out, ending with a brittle laugh. "And I highly doubt the help that you spoke of is her!"  
  
Rei spun out of his grasp and threw the broom she had been holding to the ground. "Don't you see? I will go mad if I don't take some sort of action against Beryl!"  
  
Grandpa pursed his lips and folded his arms into his robe sleeves. "We must really work on controlling your patience. But in this instance, you are fortunate that the help I spoke of arrives this very moment."  
  
At the first mention of a guest, Rei's attention had already been riveted to the gate. When she saw a large figure approaching from the walkway, she all but ran for the gate. Her heart nearly stopped when she recognized the familiar form of Jadeite, travel-worn but handsome all the same.  
  
"Jadeite!" she cried out, her hands clumsy with excitement as they fooled with the latch. She flung the gate wide open and launched herself at Jadeite with glee.  
  
"Rei! I should have known it was in you to lead me on a merry chase all across the country and be here, at the farthest corner of the land." Jadeite was laughing as he held Rei tight, overwhelmed with relief. He was finally able to set her an arm's length away from him to better look at her. That was when he noticed the priestess robe she wore. Alarm coursed through him and his hands tightened their grasp on her arms.  
  
"Princess, it's my fault," Jadeite groaned, pulling her close once again. Rei's head was pillowed against his chest, her hands spread across the tightly flexed muscles. "I'm sorry I ever lectured you on your duty to the kingdom. It wasn't necessary to run away and take holy vows to break off an outdated betrothal."  
  
Lost in the feeling of being in Jadeite's strong arms once more, Rei did not assimilate his words immediately. Once she realized what he had said, however, she couldn't help but pull away in surprise. "I didn't run away because I wanted to call off the betrothal."  
  
-----End Chapter 2------

PS. Mars, the Roman form of the Greek Olympian god Ares, was actually just the god of war in classical mythology. His lover was Venus/Aphrodite. Incidentally, her husband was Vulcan/Hephaestus, the god of the smiths, and he was the one usually associated with fire. In this story, I gave fire and war to Mars to keep it in line with SailorMars' powers.  
  
(c) 2004 Erienne C. Lee


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